


New Perspective

by Sagasimon



Series: Enemy Mine [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: 3x19, Camaraderie, Episode Related, Episode Tag, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Post-Episode: s03e19 Letharia Vulpina, Pre-Slash, subtle hints
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-26
Updated: 2014-02-26
Packaged: 2018-01-13 19:32:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1238302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sagasimon/pseuds/Sagasimon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chris tends to Derek's back after the explosion at the Police Station.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New Perspective

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a little something that stuck in my head after watching s03e19. I noticed that Chris and Derek weren't at their spot when Scott and Stiles rushed pass it so decided that most probably Chris escorted Derek out to get his back cleaned up away from the chaos that erupted at the station :)
> 
> You can treat it as pre-slash, the hint is very subtle, you can also treat it as a friendship fic if Chris/Derek isn't your cuppa.
> 
> I added a little reference for those who have seen/know about Hoechlin/JR panel at London's Wolfsbane con in 2013 ;)
> 
> It's only my second ever TW fic I'm posting here, hope you like it :D
> 
> Fic is un-beta'd, so criticism is most welcome, since I'm not native :P
> 
> Thaaaanks~~

Chris looked around the station taking in the chaos that erupted after the explosion. Everyone was running around, trying to get the situation under control and help those who collapsed. And was that Stiles with Scott? Part of him wanted to rush over and demand explanation, assess the threat and make sure the boy was truly back to being himself. But then his eyes fell back to Derek, who was still swaying dangerously on his feet, eyes heavy lidded with pain, and he made a decision.

'Come on Derek, we need to get you cleaned up.' He'll deal with young Stilinski later.

'I'm ok...'

'Like hell you are, we both know those wounds won't close unless we remove the shards from your back. It must hurt like hell.'

'I've had worse...'

'Just shut up and lets go before anyone remembers we're here.' He knew they shouldn't leave, that it would get them into even more trouble later but then again he owed Derek big time and it was either that or letting the guy suffer in order to avoid exposure. Trying to explain super fast healing to panicked law enforcers was not his idea of fun. Apparently it wasn't Derek's either as the werewolf gave him a half nod and started shuffling away, wobbling with every move.

Chris just rolled his eyes and reached for the other man's waist to steady him, carefully avoiding any impaled areas, and wrapped Derek's arm around his neck. For a split of second he thought Derek would push him away but in the end he just sagged against his side and let the hunter lead him away from the crowd. No one even spared them a second glance.

Eventually they found their way out, successfully avoiding attention, since everyone was too distracted or too shocked to notice two figures slipping through the back exit. Chris made sure they were within safe distance from the Police Station before stopping for a breath. Derek was becoming more of a dead-weight every passing second and he needed to find a relatively safe place for them to remove all the crap from the werewolf's body.

Obviously they couldn't go back to Chris' apartment. Not that they would really manage to get there, with being on the other side of the town, on foot and with Derek bleeding all over the place. He remembered there was an old, abandoned playground nearby, so that would have to do.

'Come on, we're almost there.' He nudged Derek's side to make him start walking again.

The werewolf grunted in pain but didn't protest when Chris manhandled him around the rusty fence and sat him down on the edge of what once must have been a sandbox. Their little spot was conveniently shielded from the main road by thick bushes, yet bright enough so that Chris didn't need to squint his eyes to see.

'You need to take your jacket off, can you do that?'

Derek didn't even look up just started stiffly maneuver his arms out of the sleeves. He was wincing whenever the garment caught on the pieces sticking out of his back but didn't make a sound. Which was quite impressive considering the bloody mess he uncovered.

'Jesus. How can you even breathe?'

Some of the shards were really big and Chris could see they went quite deep. Probably deep enough to pierce through lungs and god knows what else.

'Ok.' He braced himself. 'I'll have to pull it all out so just... sit still and try not to move too much.' That earned him the patented Hale glare, which normally would have been quite intimidating, but now? Derek just looked as if he was going to faint any minute. Chris couldn't help but admire the strength of the guy's willpower that must've been the only thing keeping Derek from either passing out or howling in pain. Or both. Ok his ass!

'Just... get on... with it...' The werewolf wheezed. Definitely punctured lung then.

Chris chose a piece that was most probably the cause of most problems. It was hard to get a proper grip, everything was slippery from the blood, but eventually he managed and yanked it out. This time Derek let out a broken sound, something between a moan and a whine, and started coughing violently.

'You good? I think it was the worst one...' The hunter looked at the piece of wood in his hand. It was good 10 inches long and he felt nauseous at the thought of the excruciating pain Derek must have felt the whole time since he took the hit. For Chris.

The stupid, contradictory, self-sacrificing fool.

 _If something happens, don't expect me to risk my life, trying to save yours._ He said. And did the exact opposite. Chris didn't even get a scratch.

The hunter grit his teeth and continued taking out all the bits from Derek's back. Some of them were lodged deeper under the skin and he had to perform some advanced wiggling to get all of them out. Apart from an occasional sharp intake of breath during deeper digs, Derek stayed silent. Chris couldn't help but think he wasn't kidding when he said that he had indeed had worse. He immediately thought of Kate and her deranged, twisted mind. He knew about her little torture chamber underneath the Hale house and he knew she kept Derek there for a while. He didn't care back then but now the thought of it made him sick. Because for some bizarre reason, after all this time, he started to... not want the werewolf dead anymore.

Chris thought he should probably hate Derek. But he didn't. He wanted to. It would have made things so much easier. But the events from past few months put everything into a new perspective. For him, for everyone. Nothing was black and white anymore. The monsters he had been hunting his whole life became allies. The people he had loved and trusted turned out to be cold blooded murderers.

He had blamed Derek for loosing Victoria for a long time. Later he found out the bite had been in self defense. That his wife had been ready to kill an innocent boy, without any reason other than him being a werewolf. Fine, he hated the fact that out of all people Allison chose Scott to fall in love with, but he never really wanted him dead. Away from his daughter? Yes. Intimidated? Yes. But not dead!

Allison was the only constant in his life and the need to protect her, to shield her from all the evil of the world was his primary function. She was the only thing he had left now. Ever since the fiasco with the Kanima and his father, the Hunter community shunned them out for "siding with the enemy" so they were on their own now. Their own people turned their backs against them, just because they tried to do the right thing and help those who needed it. Because in order to protect innocent lives they accepted help of the very creatures they swore to slay. But thinking back, Chris couldn't help but question who was the true monster in this story. It pained him to see his father go mad, they were never close but they were of the same blood. It meant something to Chris, but apparently Gerard couldn't care less as long as he got what he wanted. Which was the opposite to what they all stood for. To what Chris stood for. But what hurt the most was how he shamelessly used Victoria's death to manipulate his sweet Allison into becoming a ruthless warrior, driven by revenge.

At least now they still had each other.

 _Derek doesn't really have anyone anymore._ He thought bitterly looking as the last cuts he cleared started closing under the dried blood and grime.

'Thank you.' Derek rolled his shoulder and Chris couldn't help but admire how his muscles flexed under the skin. With his jet black hair, hazel eyes and powerful physique, Derek was a truly beautiful man, so he let himself appreciate the view, for the first time since he helped his wife kill herself. And for the first time since then he didn't feel guilty about it.

'Thank you, for saving my life today.'

'...Don't mention it.' Derek tried to sound nonchalant but missing a mile. He kinda looked surprised and maybe a little bit awed by Chris' words and the hunter wondered if that's because it was him saying them or because he was simply unfamiliar with the concept of gratitude in general. He felt a pang of... something. Derek was still so young and already went through hell and back. In the end, no matter how much he denied it, he always had best interest of everyone in mind. Even if his methods tended to be a bit on a violent side, he always tried to do the right thing. Chris could see that now and he respected the werewolf for that. Especially after tonight.

All the wounds on Derek's back were completely healed under the thin strips of his torn shirt. Chris got a sudden urge to trace the black ink peeking through the holes with his fingers, feel the smoothness of the skin underneath his hands. It was truly fascinating when you thought about it, the werewolf healing powers. No scars, no permanent marks, but they still felt pain like any other human being. Because Derek was human, just like him, he felt pain and he felt emotions and Chris decided that maybe, if Derek let him, he can be his shoulder to lean on. It scared him a little bit how much he liked the idea.

He flopped down next to the other man and sighed.

'Here.' Derek removed what was left from his henley and passed it to Chris to wipe his hands, which were all sticky with blood. It didn't help much but at least he could dry himself.

They sat there for a while in a surprisingly companionable silence, their thighs pressed together as if they were just old friends having a break from an evening stroll. A werewolf and a hunter. Damn but Chris was such a hypocrite right now.

'When it's all over, we should go out and have couple of beers or something.'

'You know I can't get drunk, right?'

'Good. I'll need a lift home.'

Derek just rolled his eyes but there was a hint of amusement around his lips.

Chris counted it as a win.


End file.
